UTEP basketball: Miners, Aggies renew rivalry

Certainly, it is a high point on the nonconference trail -- always has been, always will be.

UTEP and New Mexico State, a pair of schools with rich basketball histories and continually strong programs, will renew their old rivalry Friday night in Las Cruces and right back in El Paso eight days later on Saturday, Nov. 23. No matter who each of these teams play, no matter where, this get-together adds spice to nonconference basketball.

UTEP opened the season with an 84-49 beatdown on Loyola of New Orleans. New Mexico State traveled to Hawaii for a trio of tournament games -- falling 70-64 to Western Michigan, knocking off Tennessee State 70-55 and dusting host Hawaii 95-88.

"They ought to be proud of that win (over Hawaii)," UTEP coach Tim Floyd said. "The island is a tough place to play. It's hard to win there. They had a great crowd and I thought New Mexico State played as well as any of the teams I've seen them have."

The Aggies once again bring great size to this duel -- especially in 7-foot-5, 365-pound sophomore Sim Bhullar and also in 6-10, 268-pound junior Tshilidzi Nephawe. Bhullar averaged 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 blocks in those three games in Hawaii. Nephawe averaged 11.0 points a game in Hawaii.

Daniel Mullings, a 6-2 junior guard, led the Aggies with 14.7 points a game. DK Eldridge, also a 6-2 junior guard, averaged 12.3 points in Hawaii.

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"They present so many issues," Floyd said. "They're really good in transition. They're really good at establishing the post and playing through there. They have been terrific defensively and I don't think Marvin (Menzies, NMSU coach) gets enough credit for his defense. They held teams under 40 percent (field goal shooting) a year ago and are continuing to do that this year."

Last year was a typical series between these two teams -- a split and two defensive dances. A year ago the series was split up by months, not days. UTEP scrambled from behind to win 55-54 in El Paso on Nov. 28. Nearly three months later, on Feb. 23, NMSU scrambled from behind to edge the Miners 55-51 in Las Cruces.

"I think the Aggies felt like they should have gotten them both (last year)," Floyd said. "We literally stole one here in El Paso last year. We were down five or six, I think, with a minute to go. I'm still not sure how we won. But we were fortunate to get the split."

UTEP trailed by four points with 26 seconds remaining but John Bohannon converted a 3-point play and freshman Chris Washburn (now at TCU) made a pair of free throws to give the Miners the win. Of course, UTEP led the Aggies by nine points with seven minutes to go in the return match in Las Cruces before the Aggies staged their comeback.

No lead is safe, no game is safe.

These teams have done this 205 times ... 205 moments of excitement. Fittingly, the series is as close as possible with New Mexico State leading 103-102.